Direct part marking

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a component comprising forming an identifier internally within the component in a predetermined manner, wherein the identifier can be used to subsequently identify or authenticate the component.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of manufacturing a component, the method comprising:
 forming an identifier internally within the component in a predetermined location relative to a datum point, wherein the identifier can be used to subsequently identify or authenticate the component, and 
 cutting the component and the identifier along a predetermined plane. 
 
     
     
       2. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises one or more identifying features located in the component in predetermined locations relative to the datum point or located in the component such that the one or more identifying features form a predetermined pattern internally within the component. 
     
     
       3. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises one or more voids. 
     
     
       4. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises one or more volumes of material. 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the component comprises a first material, and wherein the volumes of material comprise a second material different to the first material. 
     
     
       6. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the second material has different electromagnetic properties to the first material. 
     
     
       7. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is not detectable by visual inspection of the component. 
     
     
       8. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier comprises one or more elongate features which extend internally within the component. 
     
     
       9. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the identifier comprises two or more elongate features and wherein the elongate features extend along parallel axes with respect to each other. 
     
     
       10. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is formed so that it intersects the predetermined plane passing through the component, the predetermined plane is located in a notional slice defined between a first notional plane and a second notional plane parallel with the first notional plane, and the predetermined plane is parallel with the first notational plane and the second notional plane. 
     
     
       11. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the identifier is formed so that cutting the component and the identifier in the notional slice along a plane that is non-parallel to the predetermined plane destroys the identifier such that the identifier is at least one of not visible and not detectable. 
     
     
       12. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein manufacturing the component comprises additive manufacturing. 
     
     
       13. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the identifier can be used to verify a characteristic, origin, or manufacturer of the component. 
     
     
       14. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising generating a unique identifier which can be used to distinguish the component from one or more substantially identically shaped components, and wherein the identifier formed in the component is the unique identifier. 
     
     
       15. A method of manufacturing a component as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising generating a group identifier common to a group of components which comprises the manufactured component, and wherein the identifier formed in the component is the group identifier. 
     
     
       16. A method comprising manufacturing a plurality of components according to the method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of components form the group of components, and the identifier formed in of each one of the group of components is the group identifier. 
     
     
       17. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising manufacturing a second component, wherein a second identifier formed internally within the second component is different to the first identifier within the first component such that the identifiers of the first and second components can be used to distinguish between the first and second components. 
     
     
       18. A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising manufacturing a second component, wherein a second identifier formed internally within the second component is identical to the first identifier within the first component, such that the first and second identifiers can be used to verify that the first and second components share a common characteristic. 
     
     
       19. A component manufactured according to a method comprising:
 forming an identifier internally within the component in a predetermined location so that the identifier intersect a predetermined plane passing through the component, the predetermined plane being located in a notional slice defined between a first notional plane and a second notional plane parallel with the first notional plane, and the predetermined plane being parallel with the first notational plane and the second notional plane, wherein the identifier can be used to subsequently identify or authenticate the component, and 
 wherein the identifier is formed so that cutting the component and the identifier in the notional slice along a plane that is non-parallel to the predetermined plane destroys the identifier such that the identifier is unidentifiable. 
 
     
     
       20. A group of components comprising a plurality of components as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the identifier of each one of the group of components is different, or wherein the identifier of each one of the group of components is identical.